The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’.
‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’ is a product of a planned breeding program and originated from a hybridization made by the inventor, Birgit C. Hofmann, in a controlled breeding program in Hillscheid, Germany, in the summer of 2000.
The female parent was the variety ‘Fisimp 102’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,700), which is characterized by uniform, orange-red flowers, medium green foliage, and fairly tall plant habit. The male parent was the variety ‘Fisnics Scarlet Blush’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,227), having scarlet colored flowers with a purple eye, dark green foliage, and medium sized, compact plant habit.
‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’ was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by the inventor in April 2001 in a controlled environment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain.
The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in July, 2001 in a greenhouse in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain, by, or under the supervision of the inventor.
Horticultural examination of plants grown from these cuttings initiated in spring, 2002 in Hillscheid, Germany, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.
‘Fisupnic Pinkeye’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length, without, however, any variation in genotype. The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown in Hillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany, under green house conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial practice.